[12-04-2024] – Two Children Injured and Gunman Dead Following Shooting at Northern California School

Palermo, CA – Two young children, aged 5 and 6, were injured on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, during a shooting at the Feather River Adventist School, a small religious K-8 institution located in Palermo, California. Emergency responders arrived and found the shooter deceased on the ground near the playground, having apparently taken his own life, according to sheriff’s officials.

The injured children were transported to local hospitals, and while one child was airlifted to a nearby facility, their current conditions remain unknown. The incident unfolded shortly after 1 p.m. at the private school, which serves fewer than thirty students. Palermo is a small community of approximately 5,500 residents, situated about 65 miles (104 km) north of Sacramento.

This tragic event is the latest in a series of school shootings that have occurred across the United States in recent years, which includes particularly horrific incidents in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas. Such shootings have sparked intense discussions about gun control while leaving parents unsettled as their children become accustomed to conducting active shooter drills in school. Despite the growing concern, these tragedies have had minimal impact on national gun legislation. Notably, firearms were the leading cause of death among children in both 2020 and 2021, as reported by KFF, a non-profit that investigates healthcare issues.

Assemblyman James Gallagher, who represents the area, expressed his heartbreak in a statement: “My heart is breaking for everyone impacted by this tragedy. As a community, we’ll all be hugging our loved ones closer today as we pray for the victims and try to make sense of something so senseless.”

Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea indicated that there were reports suggesting the shooter was involved in a meeting with the school principal about enrolling a child, although this had not yet been confirmed by investigators. Shots were heard shortly afterwards, but officials initially stated they did not believe the shooter had any prior connection to the school.

As of now, the motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Sheriff Honea mentioned that they were in the process of reaching out to the shooter’s family prior to releasing his identity. The body of the shooter was discovered near the playground’s slide and other equipment, covered with a blue tarp. Officers remained on site to secure the area, which is adjacent to ranchland where cattle graze.

Authorities guided students to a gymnasium where they waited until buses could transport them to the Oroville Church of the Nazarene, allowing them to reunite with their families. Sixth grader Jocelyn Orlando recounted the experience to CBS News Sacramento, saying, “We were going in for lunch recess and basically everybody in my classroom heard shooting and most people were screaming. We all went into the office, we closed the curtains, locked the doors, basically did what we would do in a school shooting, and then one of the teachers came and we all ran into the gym.”

Rev. Travis Marshall, senior pastor of the Oroville Church of the Nazarene, described the reunification of parents with their children as “very moving,” noting, “Some of the children were incredibly emotional. One woman was raising her hands up, praising the Lord when she found her child.”

Representatives from the Northern California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists were not immediately available for comments. Notably, the Feather River Adventist School has been operating since 1965, as indicated on its website.